Roe, Thomas (c. 1581–1644)

English traveller and diplomat. In 1610 he sailed up the Amazon and Orinoco rivers, and made other voyages to this area in later years, searching for gold. In 1615 he went as English ambassador to the Mogul court, where he established the foundations of English power in India by obtaining privileges for English merchants there. Later he was ambassador at Constantinople, and undertook missions to Poland, Sweden, and Germany.

He was born at Low Leyton, Essex, and educated at Magdalen College, Oxford University. In 1603 he received a court appointment, and two years later he was knighted. He was MP for Tamworth in 1614, and for Oxford University in 1640. A revised edition of his Journal was published in 1927, edited by Sir W Foster.